Dear Friends,
It’s not officially summer, but let’s be honest – it’s summer. An air conditioner is sitting in my living room waiting to be installed. Temperatures are rising and I’m back to drinking that whipped coffee from the early days of pandemic TikTok. Most importantly, my program year is over, as is the program year for many of my colleagues. That means it’s time for a break, right? Well, maybe not exactly.
Grow Christians shared an article this week asking us to consider how to “Have the Summer of a Child.” It’s an appealing notion, looking out on those long, empty days, but that’s not an option for most of us. We can’t just leave life behind for the entirety of summer. What we can do, though, is find moments in which we can embrace practices of rest and renewal and full presence. A little extra Sabbath, if you will.
Personally, I can’t help but feel the energy of being a Summer Child when I hear the song by the same name by Dar Williams.
I wonder what puts you into a Summer Child headspace? Just like in the Godly creation story, when we talk about rest, I wonder where you go, what you do, when you want to rest and be close to God?
As For Work -
We all yearn for rest, for the connection that comes from Sabbath. But the more prepared we are when it comes to our work, the easier it is to rest at any time, not just in summer. That’s why, right now, I’m moving into administrative mode, into the process of planning for the next season.
That prep process includes finally having time to read “Sustainable Children’s Ministry” by Mark DeVries and Annette Safstrom. As they describe in the text, running children’s programming relies on the idea of “short-term hard, long-term easy” rather than the other way around. The more you do in advance, the easier the big picture gets. Which means now it’s the time for curriculum considerations.
So here’s the question: What kind of curriculum keeps your programs going? Do you build your own programs? Do you sing? Do arts and crafts?
Many of you are here because I talk about Godly Play, and while I’ve got to build a schedule for that, it’s a program I understand intimately. I lived into the schedule, into the spiral, over many years. The other program I use, though, for our upper elementary students, is the Episcopal Children’s Curriculum (ECC). And, until I started this job, I’d never even heard of it! Our crew will be working on the Chalice year materials this year and it’s exciting trying to figure out what parts to includes because there’s so much there, but our students are particularly excited about some of the historical elements.
ECC is, to put it simply, a surprise! It’s a free program and, to my eye, a much better upper elementary program than many things that actually cost money. It can be a bit fiddly – the materials aren’t well organized online and it’s older, but it’s full of great ideas and engaging activities, packed with maps and timelines and Church history. The best way I can describe the materials is as a sort of diamond in the rough.
The thing is that there are a lot of materials out there, and it can be overwhelming. Are there programs you have questions about? Let’s chat!
Green… Growing… Geese?
So, what else is Wiggles & Wonder up to this summer? Quite a few things, but the most exciting is that you’ll catch me with the Godly Play team in the kid’s tent at the Wild Goose Festival!
If you’re not familiar with Wild Goose, it’s a progressive Christian festival in North Carolina, and it’s an experience for all-ages. In addition to the kid’s tent (where we’ve got so much fun planned!), there are countless activities, musical experiences, talks, and forums by everyone from Rev. William J. Barber II, the extraordinary leader of the Poor Peoples Campaign to Matthew Paul Turner, the beloved book author! There’s still time to register, so if you’re looking to unplug and connect with others while in nature, this might be just the thing you need.
That’s all for now, but summer promises to overflow. Experience the goodness. Seek the quiet. We’re taught this particular life rhythm as children, so even though our lives don’t stop in the summer anymore, our bodies are calling out for the restful, expansive world.
Peace,
Bird